Duke Preview

By: kburkeVT @kburke90 on October 28, 2011, 1:44 AM | 8 comments

Who: #15/15 Virginia Tech Hokies (7-1, 3-1 ACC) @ Duke Blue Devils (3-4, 1-2 ACC)

Time: 12:30 PM

TV Coverage: ACC Network (Tim Brant, Dave Archer, Scott Pryzwansky)

Venue: Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, NC (33,941 – Grass)

Series History: Virginia Tech leads 11-7

Last Meeting (2010): Virginia Tech 44, Duke 7
Coach Beamer is a perfect 7-0 against Duke
The Hokies have won 10 straight games against the Blue Devils, dating back to 1981
In 7 ACC contests, the Hokies have outscored Duke by an average of 37-8

Injury Report

LB Alonzo Tweedy – Out (ankle)
OL Mark Shuman – Out (knee/ankle)

The Opponent: The Hokies start the final third of their season by facing the first of four consecutive Coastal Division opponents. This Duke team has continued a trend of Blue Devil teams under David Cutcliffe, slowly working its way into a competitive nature. The Blue Devils are more consistent than in years past, but they still have their Duke moments, such as losing to Richmond for their third consecutive time.

At 3-4, the Blue Devils possess wins over Boston College, Tulane, and FIU. They, too, finish the season with all Coastal Division games, but they play all five division opponents in a row, starting with Tech.

On Offense: Duke throws the ball a lot, and that’s about all they do. The Blue Devils, led by quarterback Sean Renfree (6-5, 225, r-JR), rank 22nd in the nation in passing offense. Renfree has thrown for 1,800 yards in seven games and has cut down on his interceptions from previous years. He’s tossed six touchdowns and has been intercepted just four times this year.
It also helps when you have top-tier receivers, like Duke does. Conner Vernon (6-1, 195, JR) and Donovan Varner (5-9, 175, SR) are Renfree’s top targets and they’re some of the best in the ACC. Vernon leads the team with 652 yards and four touchdowns, while Varner supplements with 397 yards on 34 catches. But it doesn’t end there. Brandon Baxton (6-1, 190, SO) starts as a third receiver and has 26 catches for 174 yards. Tight end Cooper Helfet (6-4, 240, SR) has 251 yards receiving and two touchdowns to add to the attack.

Duke uses multiple running backs, but in a pass-oriented offense, their main threat comes as checkdowns and screen options. Juwan Thompson (5-11, 215, SO) is listed as the starter, but Desmond Scott (5-9, 190, JR) and Jay Hollingsworth (5-10, 200, SR) will also play a good amount. Thompson is the leading rusher, averaging 4.4 yards per carry to go along with his 5 touchdowns while also catching 16 passes out of the backfield. Scott boasts a 6+ ypc average on the ground on fewer attempts than Thompson, while Hollingsworth is used primarily in passing situations, averaging 9.6 ypc on 13 catches.

The Blue Devils offensive line hasn’t been as successful as they need to be, especially in pass protection. Duke gives up more than two sacks per game and converts just a hair over 40 percent on third downs. Two sophomores and a freshman make up 60 percent of the line, which has led to the inconsistency.
On Defense: The Blue Devils just simply don’t have the talent to compete at a high-caliber level despite the passion they play with. Duke allows nearly 400 yards per game, including 264 passing yards, the 18th-worst mark in the nation. Half of Duke’s defense consists of freshman and sophomores, which explains the problems that have shown up so far. The Blue Devils play a 4-2-5, but still can’t stop the pass.
Kenny Anunike was Duke’s best lineman, but was lost for the season with a knee injury. Instead, Duke starts two sophomores and a freshman up front along with senior Charlie Hatcher (6-3, 300, r-SR), who has 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. The other three starters have those totals combined.

In the 4-2-5, Duke obviously only has two linebackers, one of which is Kelby Brown (6-2, 220, SO). A Freshman All-American a year ago, Brown is second on the team in tackles with 43, and tackles for loss with 5.5. Austin Gamble (6-1, 235, JR) joins Brown at the other linebacker spot.

The secondary is where Duke struggles statistically, this despite starting three safeties. Matt Daniels (6-1, 210, SR) is the best of the bunch, leading Duke in tackles with 69 and pass breakups with 11. He has the ability to cover well downfield and also come up and assist in stopping the running game. August Campbell (6-3, 225, r-SO) and Walt Canty (6-0, 215, JR) also start at safety, but are much better at stopping the running game than covering downfield, thus leaving the deep middle as a vulnerable area against the Duke defense. At corner, Ross Cockrell (6-0, 175, r-SO) was a Freshman All-American last year and is joined by Johnny Williams (5-10, 190, SR), who is in his second season as a cornerback after converting from wide receiver.

Players to Watch: